Buster the Bear
6th Mar 2004, 01:07
TUI AG’s Germany-based stand-alone low-cost carrier Hapag-Lloyd Express will add more UK destinations to its network this year, joining Manchester and Newcastle.
The carrier, which is planning to carry 4m passengers this year, currently serves 22 destinations in eight countries from hubs at Cologne/Bonn, Hanover and Stuttgart.
HLX dropped it Cologne/Bonn-Luton route in Dec02, arguing that Cologne-Bonn is a destination for business and mature leisure travellers, and that Luton’s position as a base for low-cost no-frills operators was not pulling in the right mix.
The carrier is also introducing a ‘pay us what you think we’re worth’ pricing policy. While the promotion is limited to the inaugural flights on Manchester-Stuttgart, Dublin-Stuttgart and Newcastle-Hanover, HLX says that the initiative will be ‘evaluated with a view to rolling out similar deals on other HLX routes…’
Meanwhile HLX parent TUI AG has started to dig up a turning circle built illegally at Coventry Airport, recently purchased for a reported £6.9m. TUI AG has admitted that previous owners Air Atlantique carried out the works without permission. It is also rebuilding a temporary passenger terminal on site as its size exceeds regulations. Coventry Airport will be the base for TUI AG’s UK-based stand-alone low-cost carrier thomsonfly.com which is due to start operating at the end of March. Warwickshire County Council is meeting next week to decide what action, if any, be taken against the airport for not one but two planning breaches carried out by its previous owner.
The carrier, which is planning to carry 4m passengers this year, currently serves 22 destinations in eight countries from hubs at Cologne/Bonn, Hanover and Stuttgart.
HLX dropped it Cologne/Bonn-Luton route in Dec02, arguing that Cologne-Bonn is a destination for business and mature leisure travellers, and that Luton’s position as a base for low-cost no-frills operators was not pulling in the right mix.
The carrier is also introducing a ‘pay us what you think we’re worth’ pricing policy. While the promotion is limited to the inaugural flights on Manchester-Stuttgart, Dublin-Stuttgart and Newcastle-Hanover, HLX says that the initiative will be ‘evaluated with a view to rolling out similar deals on other HLX routes…’
Meanwhile HLX parent TUI AG has started to dig up a turning circle built illegally at Coventry Airport, recently purchased for a reported £6.9m. TUI AG has admitted that previous owners Air Atlantique carried out the works without permission. It is also rebuilding a temporary passenger terminal on site as its size exceeds regulations. Coventry Airport will be the base for TUI AG’s UK-based stand-alone low-cost carrier thomsonfly.com which is due to start operating at the end of March. Warwickshire County Council is meeting next week to decide what action, if any, be taken against the airport for not one but two planning breaches carried out by its previous owner.